Portable electrical generating apparatus



W. H. MASON.

PORTABLE ELECTRICAL GENERATING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.I5. I9|-4 Patented .my s, 1919.

THE COLUMBIA PLANounAPn co., WASHINGTQN, D. c.

WILLIAM H.'MASON`,OF EA'STON, PENNSYLVANIA.

PORTABLE ELECTRICAL lGEN'IJIEtA'TINGr APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentoaauly s, 1919.

Application led December 15, 1914. Serial No. 877,317.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAMII. MASON; a citizen of the United States,and a resi-` dent of Easton, county of Northampton, and StateofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPort.- able Electrical Generating Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention'relates to portable apparatus for generating electricalcurrent, and

while it may be used for any purpose, the

embodiment vthereof described herein is Aparticularly designed for usein generating current for detonating explosives in blasting operations.

In the so-called blasting machines or push down batteries in common usefor this purpose, reliance is had upon a manually operated push rod andrack and gear connections for gettingthe generator up toa speed at whichthe apparatus is expected to furnish sufficient current for ignitingythe blasting charge by means of fusees. These blasting machines or pushdown batteries being manually operated are uncertain and unsatisfactoryin their operation, the current produced cannot be certainly known inadvance, and frequently unexploded charges are left in the quarry,creating an extremely dangerous condition, and furthermore the number ofcharges whichy canv be detonated at one time by such manually operateddevices is quite limited. y i

According to universal practice there is always available, whereverminingor quarrying and blasting .is going on, vassource of fluidpressure either lin 'thejform of compressed air orfsteam, yandfrequently both. Apparatus in accordanee'with the,y present; inventionis designed to be operated by such iluidpressure, and either bysteamforcompressed air, as may be most convenient, and it thereforerequiresno source of'power other than is conveniently'available andmustbe provided for drilling purposes.

Among the objects of thepresent inventioniare the provision of a light,portable, compact apparatus which will stand severe handling such as itis subjected to in quarries and mines andl which can beV operatedefficiently from a source of fluid pressure as steam or ycompressed air.'j,

Afurther object of the invention consists in the construction of the'motorinsu'ch manner.' that the generator-vis-l proteotedi'inatheoperation of the motor fromv the access of steam thereto which, if notprevented, might result in injury vto the generator.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of means formounting the fluid pressure motor direct on the generator` casing, thusmaking itpossible to mount the-v rotor forthe motorv direct on thegenerator shaft, eliminating compensating connections, as universaljoints and the like, and thus materially ,cutting down the Weight of theapparatus, which is important in a portable apparatusin ywhich'weight*must be reduced to the minimum.

A further object of the invention consists inthe provision of positiveindicating means by which the operator will be positively informed whensuiiicient current is being generated for the purpose to which theapparatus is to be put, eliminating all uncertainty from this source,and insuring, for example, the generation of sufficient current todetonate all the fusees which may be connected therewith for blastingpurposes.

. The invention further resides in the improvement of apparatus of thekind described in numerous important respects, and with the foregoingand related objects in View, my invention consists in the apparatusparts, improvements and combinations hereinset forth and claimed.

y In theaccompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andwherein the same 'reference numerals are used to designate the sameparts throughout, I have shown, for the purpose of-illustration only,and in order that my 'invention may be clearly understood, one form ofapparatus in which myv invention may be embodied, and in the saidldrawings Figure l is a view partlyfin perspective and partly incrosssection illustrating the use of my improved apparatus arranged forthe purpose of detonating blasting charges-wFig. 2 is a front View ofthe apparatus, the forward side of the box or casing in which the sameis contained being removed to show the interior, and the lid being shownvin `dotted lines. Fig. 3'is a fragmentary plan view showing one formofswitch and Wiring connections. Fig. 4 is a view 'showing a mode ofconnecting the motor to the generator casing, the motor being shown incentral vertical crosssection. Fig.'5 is a face view of the motor withthe. cover plate removal, certainV parts thereof being shown incross-section, and Fig. G is a fragment-ary horizontal section taken onthe line 6-6, Fig. 5 and further illlustrating one manner of connectingthe motor to the generator casing.

Reference numeral 10 designates the box or casing in which the apparatusis preferably installed and preferably having a hinged lid or cover 11provided with a carrying handle 12. Such cover is a convenience forlprotecting the switch and other parts and for permitting the apparatusto be closed and locked, but it will be readily understood that suchcover may be dispensed with if desired and the carrying handle .placeddirectly on the inclosing box or container. The generator 13 ispreferably secured to the base of the box or container 10 in anyconvenient manner, as by being bolted thereto, as shown, and the motor14, which is preferably of the turbine type, is secured to the generatorcasing and is provided with a pipe 15, the end of which is exposed forconveniently coupling the same to a pipe as 1G for supplying fluid underpressure which as already stated, is available either in the form ofsteam orcompressed air wherever blasting operations are being carriedon.

A preferable manner of connecting the motor to the generator casingconsists in the provision of the motor casing with lugs 16n providedwith interiorly threaded openings, whereby it may be secured to thegenerator casing. Any form of generator may be used. In one form ofgenerator commonly on the market threaded rods 17 project from thegenerator casing and are normally provided with nuts for holding theparts of the generator casing together. IVith a generator so constructedthe threaded rods or bolts 17 may be screwed directly into the threadedopenings in the lugs 16. lVhile this is a convenient form of connection,it will be understood that other modes of directly connecting the motorto the generator casing may be resorted to if desired. The rotor 18 ofthe motor 14- is preferably of nonmagnetic material so as not tointerfere with the operation of the generator and is preferablyconnected directly to the shaft 19 of the generator, as by means of setscrews 20, and is provided with the customary buckets 21 upon itsperiphery and the Huid under pressure is supplied thereto by a nozzle ornozzles conveniently situated. In the form shown there are two nozzles22, one at each of the opposite sides of the motor casing, connected bya pipe 23 and supplied from the pipe 15. The bores for nozzles 22 may beconveniently closed by plugs, 24C, 21. A cover plate 25 is secured tothe member 26 of the motor casing as by means of bolts 27 and the coverplate 25 has the exhaust opening 2S formed therein, such opening beingpreferably formed on the lower side of the motor casing to permit theescape of water therefrom, as when steam is used as the motive fluid.

Vith a light apparatus of this kind, in which friction must be reducedto a minimum, it is not practical to provide a tight or packed jointwhere the shaft 19 passes through the member 26 of the motor casing, andit is therefore necessary to allow a certain amount of clearance wheresuch shaft passes through the opening 2S) leading into the motor casing.Unless such provision is made to prevent it, the motive fluid willescape through the opening 2S) to a considerable extent, and when steamis used as the motive fluid, its escape through this opening, if notprevented, will injure and ultimately ruin the generator, andfurthermore the other parts within the casing will be injured by thepresence of steam within the box or container in whichl the appa atus isplaced. I therefore make provision for preventing this undesirableaction from taking place. In the form of apparatus shown this result issecured by placing the spokes 29l of the rotor at an incline, thusmaking up substantially a fan structure, which creates a pressure withinthe motor casing toward the exhaust side and substantially sucks away-the fluid within the motor casing from the side thereof next to thegenerator, so that, instead of motive fluid being discharged through theopening 29, air is drawn to some extent through said opening into themotor casinm thus preventing the discharge of fluid, as steam, againstthe generator and within the container for the apparatus, and drawingfresh air into such container, which passes into the motor casingthrough the opening 29 and out with the exhaust. The same action ofcourse occurs when compressed air is used as the motive fluid, except.that in this case it is not so important, although it does assist to anextent in keeping the apparatus cool.

The box 10 is preferably provided with a top plate 30 through which thepipe 15 passes and upon which the controlling switch 31 is preferablymounted. The lead wires 32, 32 from the generator are connected to thepivots of the switch 31. The wires 33, 33 from one branch of the switchrun to a voltage indicator which may conveniently take the form of alamp 34 and which may be conveniently mounted within the box or casing10. A window 35 placed near the lamp 34 affords a convenient means tothe operator for observing the lamp or other voltage indicator. Thewires 36, 36 from the opposite branch of the switch run to bindingscrews 37, 37 to which the outside circuit is connected, and wires 38,38 from said binding screws which may be conveniently attached as bymeans of thumb-screws 39 form the outside circuit. These wires 38, 38

may be connected in series, as shown in Fig. l, to the wires from thefusees 40, 40, placed within the explosive, as powder, dynamite or thelike 4l in the hole 42. But one such hole is shown in the drawings andbut two fusees, but, as will be understood, the number of such holes,and the number of the fusees in any charge may be increasedsubstantially indefinitely, it being readily possible for a smallapparatus constructed in accordance with my invention and weighing inthe neighborhood of 35 or 40 pounds to generate a current which willdetonate as many as 250 fusees at one time, and the same may bedistributed throughout the charges to be detonated in such manner as tosecure the best results.

In the operation of the device for blasting connection is made throughthe pipe 15 to a source of Huid pressure, as compressed air or steam,which is conveniently available, and the throttle 48 may be opened tosuch extent as to operate the apparatus at the proper speed, and it willbe apparent to the observer when the correct speed has been reached bythe fact that the lamp 34 is burning brightly the switch connectionshaving been made so that the current is passed through the lamp, and alamp of roper voltage bemg selected, as will be un erstood. When thelamp is burning brightly it is only necessary to quickly shift theswitch 31 so as to throw the outside wires 38 into the circuit,whereupon the current will be passed through the fusees and the chargesdetonated, the current being automatically broken by the explosionwhich, of course, ruptures the outside cur rent by tearing the wiresapart.

When desired, a lamp or lamps can be substituted for the fusees in theouter circuit and the apparatus used for generating current for lightingthe lamp or lamps. This is an extremely convenient arrangement inblasting operations, as it frequently becomes necessary to inspect theinterior of the holes being drilled, as for determining when crevicesare present, and for lighting up the interior of the holes when fishingfor lost drills or the like. Of course the lamps when placed in theouter circuit may be used for illuminating purposes of any sort.

While I have described and illustrated a specific form of apparatus, itis to be understood that the same is shown and described for the purposeonly of affording a clear understanding of my invention, and that myinvention is not limited thereto, but that departures from and changesin the form of appara-tus. shown may be made, within the scope of myclaims, without departing from my invention or sacrificing any of theadvantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. A portable apparatus for detonating blasts comprising in a singleunit a rotary electrical generator, a fluid pressure motor for impartingcontinuous rotary movement to said generator, means for detachablyconnecting the motor with a source of fluid un` der pressure to drivesame, an indicator circuit, a current passage indicator in said circuit,means for attaching an external circuit containing fuses for detonationof blasting charges, and a two position switch adapted in one positionto connect the generator with the indicating circuit, and in the otherposi tion to connect the generator with the external blasting circuit,substantially as shown and described.

2. A portable motor and generator outfit comprising abox, al generatortherein, a motor on the generator casing and having its exhaust directedout the side of the box,

Aa lamp in said box, a window in the side of the box adjacent to saidlamp, and a switch for passing the motor current at will through saidlamp or through an outside circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. A portable apparatus of the class described comprising a box, anelectrical gen erator therein, a fluid pressure motor connected to saidgenerator' and having its exhaust passage extending through the side ofthe box, a top member for the box, a lamp in said box, a switch on said'top member for passing the current at will through said lamp or throughan outside circuit, and a cover for the box, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I hereunto set my hand this 10thday of December, 1914.

WILLIAM H. MASON. Witnesses:

M. A. JOHNSON, H. TRAUTVE'M'ER.

.Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

